High volume mailers receive discounts in postal rates for meeting certain criteria established by the postal service. Generally, such criteria relates to a reduction in the postal service's handling of the mail from the mailers. For example, the United States Postal Service ("USPS") offers several levels of discounts to mailers. In order to maximize such postage discounts, the USPS requires that high volume mailers presort the mailpieces, apply a Zip+4 bar code to each mailpiece, and package their mail into trays with each tray tagged in accordance with the Domestic Mail Manual.
Heretofore, the sorting and traying processes required to qualify for the maximum discount could not be performed on an inserter system. Large volume mailers perform the sorting process on conventional off-line sorting equipment, however, the traying process is done manually. Smaller volume mailers may perform both the sorting and traying processes manually. In any event, the traying process must be done manually because the traying process has not been automated.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automated traying system that provides the flexibility to realize discounts offered by the postal service.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automated traying system that interfaces with an inserter system.